Philippines invests $65 million in jatropha and biogas for poverty alleviation
The government of the Philippines has announced it will establish a US$65 million biofuel infrastructure project in line with its efforts to ease the country’s dependence on crude oil importation.
The project is a follow up and in support to the launching activity last August which encourages the cultivation of 'tuba-tuba' (jatropha curcas) in idle lands especially military camps all over the country.
Tuba-Tuba or 'kasla' is a drought resistant shrub with an economic life of 35 years and that can be grown in sandy, gravelly, and salty soils. Its seeds can be processed to produce oil that can then be converted into biodiesel. In Capiz, the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division military camp is eyed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) as a jatropha plantation site during the recent visit of RDC Chair and Antique Governor Salvacion Perez in the area.
The government is also supporting the Philippine Forest program that seeks to develop jatropha plantations and the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) project for biogas, which is a program funded by the European Union - ASEAN Energy Facility, accross South-East Asia.
The propagation of kasla will also be introduced to farmers nationwide to venture on the idea which may help them earn extra income:
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: jatropha :: Philippines ::
"Pro-poor development programs will continue to be pushed by the government consistent with its level of determination to fight poverty,” said a Malacañang statement.
Also, "the Department of Finance (DOF) plans to source out micro-finance projects directly and solely to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) since the latter is in the best position to reach out to the poorest and neediest of the citizenry," the statement added.
In another development, Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri is pushing for the passage of biofuels bill in the Senate before the Congress takes a break on October 14.
Zubiri, who authored the House version of the bill, said in a press statement he hopes that the senators will finally agree on their version soon so it can be reconciled with the congressmen's version in the bicameral conference.
The plenary debate has reportedly been delayed by differences among senators on the tax breaks to be granted to biofuel producers.
Zubiri said that "at least a dozen investors" are waiting to invest billions of pesos for factories that would produce biofuels, the statement added.
Based on the report of Biofuel Alliance, six firms are in the "exploratory stage of venturing into ethanol projects."
Two foreign companies "interested in producing cocodiesel are keenly watching the crafting of the regulatory framework before finalizing their plans," Zubiri said in the statement.
If these companies decide to invest in the alternative fuels industry, they will join an early bird, the San Carlos ethanol plant in Negros Occidental, he said. The solon said that to attract investors, his version offers "a raft of perks, including tax privileges, to those interested in making cheap, clean, VAT-free gas out of cane and coconut," the statement added.
The biofuels bill, already certified urgent by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, seeks to replace within four years a tenth of national gasoline consumption with ethanol, starting with the "mandatory blending of gasoline with five percent bioethanol" within two years after the approval of the law, it also said. Zubiri said that at this rate of "fossil fuel displacement," the Philippines can save about P40 billion in annual foreign exchange.
The is based on the estimate on the country's daily consumption of 320,000 barrels of oil, at $65 a piece, using a P51 to $1 exchange rate, the statement said.
Zubiri said the country has enough land planted to crops that can guarantee a steady supply of biofuel.
"We have the means to ride on the alternative fuels boom. We have 2.4 million hectares planted to corn, 3.2 million hectares to coconut, 390,000 hectares to sugarcane, 330,000 to cassava and camote," he added in the statement.*
The Philippines recently carried out a successful voluntary tree planting campaign that saw over a million citizens participate. The goal was to plant trees along the country's highways, in order to fight global warming.
The project is a follow up and in support to the launching activity last August which encourages the cultivation of 'tuba-tuba' (jatropha curcas) in idle lands especially military camps all over the country.
Tuba-Tuba or 'kasla' is a drought resistant shrub with an economic life of 35 years and that can be grown in sandy, gravelly, and salty soils. Its seeds can be processed to produce oil that can then be converted into biodiesel. In Capiz, the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division military camp is eyed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) as a jatropha plantation site during the recent visit of RDC Chair and Antique Governor Salvacion Perez in the area.
The government is also supporting the Philippine Forest program that seeks to develop jatropha plantations and the Green Renewable Independent Power Producer (GRIPP) project for biogas, which is a program funded by the European Union - ASEAN Energy Facility, accross South-East Asia.
The propagation of kasla will also be introduced to farmers nationwide to venture on the idea which may help them earn extra income:
ethanol :: biodiesel :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: jatropha :: Philippines ::
"Pro-poor development programs will continue to be pushed by the government consistent with its level of determination to fight poverty,” said a Malacañang statement.
Also, "the Department of Finance (DOF) plans to source out micro-finance projects directly and solely to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) since the latter is in the best position to reach out to the poorest and neediest of the citizenry," the statement added.
In another development, Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri is pushing for the passage of biofuels bill in the Senate before the Congress takes a break on October 14.
Zubiri, who authored the House version of the bill, said in a press statement he hopes that the senators will finally agree on their version soon so it can be reconciled with the congressmen's version in the bicameral conference.
The plenary debate has reportedly been delayed by differences among senators on the tax breaks to be granted to biofuel producers.
Zubiri said that "at least a dozen investors" are waiting to invest billions of pesos for factories that would produce biofuels, the statement added.
Based on the report of Biofuel Alliance, six firms are in the "exploratory stage of venturing into ethanol projects."
Two foreign companies "interested in producing cocodiesel are keenly watching the crafting of the regulatory framework before finalizing their plans," Zubiri said in the statement.
If these companies decide to invest in the alternative fuels industry, they will join an early bird, the San Carlos ethanol plant in Negros Occidental, he said. The solon said that to attract investors, his version offers "a raft of perks, including tax privileges, to those interested in making cheap, clean, VAT-free gas out of cane and coconut," the statement added.
The biofuels bill, already certified urgent by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, seeks to replace within four years a tenth of national gasoline consumption with ethanol, starting with the "mandatory blending of gasoline with five percent bioethanol" within two years after the approval of the law, it also said. Zubiri said that at this rate of "fossil fuel displacement," the Philippines can save about P40 billion in annual foreign exchange.
The is based on the estimate on the country's daily consumption of 320,000 barrels of oil, at $65 a piece, using a P51 to $1 exchange rate, the statement said.
Zubiri said the country has enough land planted to crops that can guarantee a steady supply of biofuel.
"We have the means to ride on the alternative fuels boom. We have 2.4 million hectares planted to corn, 3.2 million hectares to coconut, 390,000 hectares to sugarcane, 330,000 to cassava and camote," he added in the statement.*
The Philippines recently carried out a successful voluntary tree planting campaign that saw over a million citizens participate. The goal was to plant trees along the country's highways, in order to fight global warming.
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